Protocol Magi :ORIGIN / Episode 2

The Red Miracle is the second episode of Protocol Magi :ORIGIN.

Characters

 * Mashiro Mitsu
 * Nakajima Shiori / Aubade
 * Oshiro Hanako / Hyacinth
 * Abe Kira
 * Shitto
 * Kawamiya-sensei
 * White Ghost (Mentioned)

Episode
Oshiro Hanako wouldn’t say she was a special girl. Sure, she supposed she did good in school and had a close gathering of friends – who all swore she had secret admirers all over school. She had a loving family, and a future that seemed like served on a silver platter.

“Hanako!” her mother cried from downstairs. “I’m going now! Remember to lock the door and shut off the lights when you leave! Have a nice day in school!”

“Thanks mom!” Hanako called back. “Have a nice day!”

Hanako heard the door close, and she stretched her arms over her head, before getting out of bed, changing into her school uniform whilst humming an unknown tune. After having breakfast, she cast a look at the clock. Five minutes later, she headed out the door and the moment she was outside, Abe Kira arrived at the gateway. “Hey”, Kira greeted. “Did Mitsu bombard you with messages through the night about yesterday too?”

Hanako nodded, opening the one-sided conversation with the younger brunette. “I can only imagine what she’s putting Shiori through, with her not being there and all.”

“Poor girl”, Kira lamented. “She no doubt hates Mitsu at this point.”

“And Mitsu’s likely not even going to notice.” Sure enough, when they got to the school, they saw Shiori followed by a Misu who was positively chatting her ears off. When Shiori noticed the pair, they noticed the bags under her eyes. ”I hate her,” she spoke. ”I thought she’d be satisfied with sending messages, and would quit eventually, but NOO, she just had to call!”

“…And I mean,”Mitsu hadn’t even noticed Hanako and Kira, much less noticed that Shiori had spoken to them, ”then she blocked the attack with a sparkly force field! How cool is that?!”

“This is over the 50th time she’s told the story.”

“Why didn’t you just turn the phone off?” Kira asked.

“She threatened to come over.” “So Aubade exists! I can prove it to Kawamiya-sensei now, that White Ghost existed! Isn’t that great, Shiori? Shio-… Shiori, are you listening?”

“No”, Shiori deadpanned. “For the 100th time; I DON’T CARE.”

“Great!” Mitsu continued, obviously too caught up in her fangirling to notice just how done Shiori was with the whole deal. Kira leaned over to Hanako, whispering “3… 2… 1…” “Will you just SHUT UP?!” Shiori exploded, turning to the effectively silenced Mitsu. “I get that you were saved by a magical girl or whatever, and that you are euphoric! But at 2 AM, when there is school the day after? NEVER message me about it again.” She inhaled deeply. “Just, just leave me alone right now. I need some peace and quiet.” Walking past them, Shiori spoke to Hanako and Kira. “You two so owe me.”

The pair smiled and nodded, knowing that Shiori wasn’t very serious about it in the long run. Mitsu made a move to follow her, but was stopped by Hanako who said “Mitsu, maybe, for the moment, leave her alone?”

"Hanako and Kira?” Mitsu responded, genuinely surprised to see them. “When’d you get here?” The pair sighed. Six hours later, Mitsu, Shiori and Kira sat in their classroom, listening to Kawamiya-sensei and taking down notes.

“…And this is what finally brought the end of the War of Terrastar. As you see, simply because someone doesn’t have any special resources or power to speak of, does not mean they cannot affect the outcome of any sort of event. Awai Yuurei-san was simply a farmer’s girl with a desire to end the slaughter. Now, I do believe that is the end of todays lesson. Stand. Thank you for today.” The activity in the classroom was evident as people began collecting their things, and starting to leave. “And be careful on your way home, and for those of you having extracurricular activities, remember that the hallway to your lockers locks automatically at half past four, so if you intend to stay longer, bring what you need from your lockers!”

Mitsu walked over to Shiori’s desk, “hey, are you going to cram school after this? I was thinking we could maybe go back to town and investigate where Aubade fought the Shade.”

“Mitsu,” Shiori replied, “I’d love to, I really would, but I’ve got to get home. I have some cram school stuff I need to catch up on.”

“…Didn't you study yesterday?” Mitsu asked.

“Yeah, but I’m not where I’d like to be yet; I have a test coming up,” Shiori shrugged, putting her pencil case into her bag. “Look, I really got hurry, maybe you could ask Hanako or Kira?” “Well, yeah, but…” Mitsu pressed.

“I know,” Shiori smiled. “But I really can’t do it today. Next time.”

"Next time,” Mitsu relented. In a completely different part of the school, where the senior students had their lockers, Hanako stood by hers. She pulled out a book from it, and then put it into the bag by her feet. She closed the locker, before pulling the bag up on her shoulders, and heading into the school again, heading to her club, greeting Minako and Youko as she entered. She sat the bag down by the wall, and pulled on an apron and got to work. Hanako wiped her hands on her apron, having finally put the muffins she had been making into the oven and turned around to lean at the counter. She closed her eyes and sighed contently.

Then, quick as a viper, smacked away a hand that had gotten far too close to her bowl of frosting. “Mitsu. No.”

“…But you’re not using it!” said brunette was, indeed, trying to get to the pink, sugary substance. “…And how did you know it was me?” “I know you, Mitsu,” Hanako replied, still not opening her eyes, “that’s how.”

“But-…” Mitsu replied, starting to reach towards the bowl again.

“Mitsu. NO.” Meanwhile, at a completely different place, the one known as Shitto was laying lazily on a couch in a dark room. Her eyes were closed, but she wasn’t asleep. “Pandora-sama isn’t very happy with you,” a voice echoed in Shitto’s head, its owner standing shrouded in shadows in the corner of the room.

“I know,” Shitto replied, “and stay outta my head. Just because I had a minor step-back, doesn’t mean I won’t succeed in the end. I still have the general location.” She almost expected an answer, she almost did, but the only thing she received in return was silence. Turning her head lazily she looked towards where the figure had been standing only a few seconds ago. “…Typical”, she muttered, before she rose up and stretched her arms over her head, before vanishing into thin air. “Pleeaase can I have one?” Mitsu asked once more. “You’ve already made a ton! One won’t be missed.”

“Mitsu,” Hanako replied, turning around. “No, these cupcakes are for selling. Not for you to gobble up. I can’t give you any.”

“But… please?” The brunette was literally at her wits end trying to get Hanako to let go of the frosty treats.

“I can’t, Mitsu, they need to be sold for funding for the upcoming festival.”

“B…But…” She then decided to switch tactics. Surely Hanako wouldn’t decline a poor, hungry friend? “But I’m hungry!” Without skipping a beat, Hanako picked up an apple from the fruit bowl, tossing it to Mitsu. “Then have an apple.”

“…” Mitsu wasn’t happy about that, but she couldn’t say that she hadn’t walked into that one. “Okay, good one. But can I have a cupcake instead?”

“No.”

“Can I at least stay here while I wait for you to be done?”

“Yeah, su-… Why do you want to wait for me?”

“Well, Kira was busy, and Shiori has a test coming up, so she couldn’t come either; I was planning on going back to where we met Aubade, and see if there is anything we missed.” Mitsu wandered around the kitchen as she spoke.

“Mitsu, the police have likely blocked off the entire street.” “Well, yeah, but-…” Mitsu had stopped by the window. “Uh, Hanako?”

“What is it?” Hanako had her back turned, checking up on the baking cupcakes.

“Uh-… You may wanna see this.”

“Hmm?” Hanako turned around, closing the oven again, before she noticed the obstruction before the window that had not been there five minutes prior. And it moved. Outside, on the school courtyard, a Shade had appeared, whilst a figure dressed in black was moving away from the scene.

The Shade crouched forward, and looked into the kitchen. Mitsu froze, looking at the large monster. “Mitsu,” Hanako urged, grabbing Mitsu by the shoulder. “We need to go.”

Mitsu didn’t react. She stared at the large Shade; it was her second encounter in two days with a one, and she was excited; it seemed to solidify that her idea that her life had been turned into a magical girl anime, but most of all, she was terrified.

Hanako tugged at Mitsu’s arm, causing the shorter girl to finally look at her.

“…Yeah,” Mitsu replied after an agonizingly long pause, “yeah, you’re right.” She turned around to face the door, and started to head towards it, before a loud crash sounded, and she felt a push to the side that sent her tumbling to the floor. She crashed through the open door, and groaned. That hurt. That hurt a lot. Struggling, she rose up, and found the entire outer wall and a large chunk of the floor of the room she had previously been in gone, with the Shade looming in its stead, cornering Hanako. In the midst of this madness, in a split second, two thoughts occupied Mitsu’s head. If her theory about her life currently was correct, then Aubade was the main character, right? And that’d mean that today would be the second episode, which, in turn, would mean that someone else would become a Magical Girl? Right? And by the events, it’d be her or Hanako.

The second thought, was regarding her friend. Hanako was in danger, and wouldn’t be able to escape without help. She groaned again as she rose to her feet, and made up her mind. Picking up the leg with one of the previously whole chairs, she ran up and whacked the tree-like Shade as hard as she could. It didn’t do much. Well, aside of making the Shade turn to her. Apparently it didn’t take too kindly to be whacked with the remains of one of it’s kin. Mitsu didn’t know why, but she wasn’t (as) scared this time around; maybe it was because she’d already met a Shade and lived that she somehow was confident that she’d manage today too, or the fact that now it was her friend that was in danger.

Hanako saw her chance and took it. Clutching her phone in her right hand, she dashed towards Mitsu, grabbed her by the wrist and then ran out the room. The halls were even emptier than before; the few people who had been in the school had probably ran away at either the sight of the monstrous tree, or at the large crash when it tore up the wall. “We’re likely the only people left in the school,” Hanako spoke, heading for the stairs to the first floor. “Everyone else must be gone by now.”

At the stairs, Mitsu pulled out of her grasp, placing her hands on her knees, panting. “W-why’d… you… do… that? We… could’ve-...”

“Mitsu, if you pull the same story as yesterday, I swear…” Hanako interrupted. “Whether or not you think we’re in a Magical Girl anime isn’t really top priority right now. We need to get out of here.”

“But-…”

“Mitsu, we need to move.” Grabbing her hand again, Hanako pulled Mitsu down the stairs, and headed towards the main entrance, where they stopped, looking out at the awaiting Shade. “We’ll have to split up temporarily once we leave the building in order to be able avoid the Shade,” Hanako spoke, “it can’t follow us both.”

“Well, yeah,” Mitsu replied once she had regained her breath. “But we don't know which of us it’ll follow.” Hanako’s response both surprised her and made her wonder.

“It shouldn’t be too hard.” “Wha-… HANAKO!” The redhead had dashed out the entrance, effectively catching the Shade’s attention, yelling at it whilst running as she was. Mitsu could only stare for a second, as the Shade moved towards Hanako, but then realized she should move too. She carefully opened the door, and slipped out, mimicking what Hanako did. Despite yelling and calling it names, she couldn’t cause it to turn away from Hanako, and Mitsu got more and more afraid for the other girl as the monster closed in.

Then, right as the monster lost its patience and sent a band of roots towards Hanako, a blue streak leaped off one of the nearby buildings, landing where Hanako was, before heading away again – taking Hanako with her. Mitsu was stopped in the middle of a step, completely frozen by surprise. The blue streak then came back at the Shade, and Mitsu could finally make out the shape of a girl with long, blue pigtails. She collided with the Shade, causing it to fall down. Having dealt with that temporarily, she moved to where Mitsu stood. “You again.” Aubade spoke, as demeaning as ever, crushing the awed smile on Mitsu’s face. “Didn’t I make myself clear enough? Stay away from Shades.”

Before Mitsu had the chance to protest, Aubade picked up Mitsu by her back and back of knees. Mitsu’s breath was taken out of her lungs as the blue-clad fighter jumped several meters up into the air and then landing a couple of blocks away. Putting Mitsu down, Aubade reprimanded, “Stay. Or better yet, get away from here and away from the school,” then, she was gone back the direction of the school.

Mitsu didn’t listen. It wasn’t part of her biology to stay away from a fight where Magical Girls were involved. And when she got back to the school, she was so close to yelling “OH COME ON!”. There, right beside Aubade, was another Magical Girl. Her clothes were red and golden, and sporting a vivid red, high ponytail.

Mitsu could instantly see that the two Magical Girls had different fighting styles. Aubade tended to stay back and support with blue ripples appearing as shields to block whatever the Shade sent at them, whilst Red landed countless hits with fists and feet glowing red. It didn’t take a genius to realize that these two had fought alongside each other for a while. “Are you kidding me?” Aubade deadpanned. Red flipped over a large branch coming her way, allowing her teammate to skid underneath her. Aubade planted her hands at the ground, and kicked the branch sky-ward.

Doing so, she saw the familiar figure of a certain Magical girl maniac. Red laughed. “Well, you can’t fault her for trying.”

“Hyacinth, you know well that it’s only idiotic to actively seek out fights.”

Hyacinth grinned, “isn’t that what we’re doing?”

“We can fight back. She can’t.”

“You’re still upset about yesterday, aren’t you?”

“Oh, whatever gave it away?” Aubade drawled. “Are we going to finish this Shade, or what?” “Yeah,” Hyacinth replied. “Call it, Captain.”

“…Don’t call me that.” Aubade jumped into the sky, shortly followed by Hyacinth. Aubade’s hands glowed with a blue glow, and the ever familiar ripple formed around them. It extended, before locking the Shade in a cylinder of blue sparkles. Hyacinth reached Aubade’s height, flipped in the air so that she was facing down at the oversized tree. Her heels connected with a newly formed forcefield created by the blue girl above her.

Hyacinth pulled her right arm back. Red light swirled around her clenched fist, before concentrating and covering her fist. “Hyacinth, Acceleration.” She shot down towards the Shade at an incomprehensible speed, and punched when she got close enough. She broke through the wood of the monster, causing a shockwave to erupt when she hit the ground – forming a large crater in the school yard. In front of her outstretched fist was a small, black ball hovering in a red glow. The glow faded, and the black pearl cracked to dust. Mitsu coughed, rising up once again, having been pushed to the ground by the shockwave. She came to the sight of the Magical Girls conversing, and she started running towards them. Aubade turned around and made a move to leave, but Hyacinth placed a hand on her shoulder, saying something. Aubade didn’t turn back around, by this allowed Mitsu enough time to reach to them. “That. Was. AWESOME,” the maniac claimed. Hyacinth was the one to answer.

“Thank you,” she said. “Although it would be best if you’d stop making a habit of witnessing these fights. You’re likelier to get hurt if you don’t. We can’t always make it to the Shades as quickly as we want to.”

“But no-one’s gotten hurt, right?” Mitsu asked. This caused Aubade to turn around.

“Stop speaking about things you have no understanding of,” the bluehaired girl said. “You know nothing about everything that’s going on, and that’s for the best. This is the second time in two days I arrived in time to save you. You might not be so lucky next time. Come on, Hyacinth, we need to go.” “What, but-..” Mitsu replied.

“Yeah,” Hyacinth replied as Aubade jumped away to a nearby roof, before disappearing completely behind the tall buildings. “The police’ll be here in a few minutes, so you might want to get away from here too. I’m not too sure they’d believe your story that Magi fought back a giant monster, and that that’s the reason for the destruction of the school grounds.” The redhead paused before continuing. “We’re not Magical Girls per se, we consider ourselves Magis; Mages with a side of hand-to-hand combat.” Leaving Mitsu with that tidbit of information, Hyacinth followed her fellow Magi.

Trivia

 * This episode marks the debut of Hanako as Hyacinth.
 * This episode is the first one where Hyacinth, Acceleration is used.
 * It is unknown if Mitsu's love for cupcakes is a deliberate reference to Miyabi Honoka's love for cupcakes, or if it is a coincidence.